Dispensing nozzle



May 22, 1962 J. J. PACEY DISPENSING NOZZLE :5 SheetsSheet 1 Filed March11, 1958 INVENTOR. JOHN J. PACEY BY my 5 ATTORNEYS May 22, 1962 J. .1.PACEY DISPENSING NOZZLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 11, 1958 m MY EE CN I A P N H O U ATTORNEYS y 2, 1 J. J. PACEY 3,035,615

DISPENSING NOZZLE Filed March 11, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR J.PACEY ATTORNEYS United States The present invention relates to liquiddispensing nozzles and more particularly to nozzles which may beadvantageously used in the retail delivery of gasoline. The presentapplication is a continuation in part of my previous application SerialNo. 698,171, filed November 22, 1957, and now abandoned.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved nozzlewhich may aptly be described as an automatic nozzle. That is, theimproved nozzle of the present invention may be inserted into the tillpipe of an automobile gasoline tank, its operating lever actuated toinitiate delivery of gasoline and then released as automatic meanscontinue the delivery of gasoline. The filling station attendant is thenable to perform other services such as checking oil and water andcleaning windows. Further the attendant is free to perform such dutieswithout worry of the gasoline overflowing since means are provided forautomatically shutting or? how of gasoline when the level of gasoline inthe fill pipe reaches a fixed point with respect to the outlet portionof the nozzle.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means forshutting oil flow of gasoline other than in response to the automaticmeans. The improved means herein disclosed are not only readily exposedfor manual operation but also give assurance that the nozzle will beautomatically shut cit if it should fall from the fill pipe of a :gastank While gasoline is being delivered.

While reference will be made throughout the following specification touse of the present improved nozzle in delivering gasoline, it is to beunderstood that this nozzle has general utility in dispensing all othertypes of similarly fluent liquids.

Other related objects and features of the invention will be apparentfrom a reading of the following description of the disclosure found inthe accompanying drawings and the particular novelty thereof pointed outin the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation, partly in longitudinal section, of a nozzleembodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, on an enlarged scale of valve means seenin FIG. 1 but in a difierent position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the valve means returning tothe FIG. 1 position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view, on said enlarged scale, looking in thedirection of arrow A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line VV in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line VIVI in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an elevation partly in longitudinal section of a modifiedembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a view looking in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a section taken on line IX-IX in FIG. 7.

The nozzle seen in FIG. I greatly resembles conven tional gasolinenozzles now in use from the standpoint of exterior appearance. In factone of the features of the atent "free present invention is the easewith which existing nozzle constructions may be modified in order toobtain the other benefits of the invention, as will be more fullyapparent from the following description of the constructional detailsthereof.

The nozzle comprises a body portion iii having a clamp nut .12 at oneend thereof to facilitate attachment of the nozzle to a flexible hose ofthe type conventionally provided with gasoline dispensing pumps. Thebody portion 1%) is hollow to provide an internal passageway for theflow of gasoline therethrough as controlled by a spring urged flow valve14 and a check valve 16, both of which are of known construction. Beyondthe check valve 16, a spout 1% is threaded into the other end of thebody 10 with a clamp nut 29 being provided to secure the spout indesired relation to the body portion 19.

The valve 14 is normally closed to prevent flow of gasoline through thenozzle. A rocker 22 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is pivotally mounted about a pin 24interiorly of the body passageway and in contacting relation with anextension 26 of the valve 14. A pin 23 is slidably mounted in the body10 and is engageable with the opposite side of the rocker 22. The pin 28extends outwardly of the body portion 10 above an operating lever 36which is pivotally mounted about a fixed point at 32 and is embraced bya guard 34 in conventional fashion. It will be apparent that when thelever 30 (see FIG. 1) is raised the rocker 22 will be rotated in aclockwise direction, thereby unseating and opening the valve 14 toinitiate delivery of gasoline from the nozzle.

In accordance with one of the features of the invention ratchet teeth 36(FIGS. 2 and 3) are formed on the upper surface of the rocker 22. Alatching lever member 38 is pivotally mounted about a screw 40 whichextends fiom an internal lug 42. One free end of the latch 38 is slottedto receive a cross pin 44 which extends between bifurcated portions of apin 46 (see also FIG. 6). Pin 46' is slidably mounted in the bodyportion 10 after the fashion best seen in FIGS. 2 and 6. A spring 48 isseated against the upper end of a chamber 49 which is compositely formedby a cap 51 and the body portion 1% to which the cap is secured. Thespring 48 at all times urges the pin 46 downwardly and causes the latch38 to bear against the upper surface of rocker 22. Thus when rocker 22is rotated, by lifting the operating lever 30, the latch 38 will bebrought into engagement with one of the ratchet teeth 36 andautomatically maintain the valve 14 open. The lever 30 may then bereleased and the attendant by fixing the nozzle spout 18 in 21 till pipeis free to carry out any other services he desires during dispensing. Itwill be noted that the plurality of teeth 36 provided on rocker 22enable the operator to determine the rate at which gasoline willautomatically be delivered, since the valve 14 may be selectivelymaintained in an open position sufiicient to give the desired rate offlow, all as determined by which of the teeth 36 are engaged by latch38.

It will be seen that the internal passageway of body 10 is provided witha venturi throat at 50 (FIG. 2). Extending from this venturi throat is apassageway 52 which leads through the body portion 10 and cap 51 to thetop of chamber 49. It will also be seen that the upper portion ofchamber 49 is sealed oil by a diaphragm 54 which is captured between thespring 48 and pin 46 with its outer peripheral portions confined againstthe body by cap 51. From the chamber 49 a further passageway 56 (FIGS. 4and 6) leads through the cap 51 and body portion 10 to a longitudinallyextending passageway 58 which in turn communicates with a tube 60. Itwill be seen (FIGS. 45) that appropriate plugs are provided to insure anair-tight connection between the champer 49 and the tube 60. The tube 60extends downwardly along the spout 18 and by way of the illustratedfittings terminates in an opening 62 exteriorly of and at the lower endof the spout 18. The venturi throat 50 is thus in communication withatmosphere at a point adjacent the outlet of the nozzle (i.e. nozzlespout) by way of the suction passageway which is compositely formed ofthe passageways 52, 56, 58 and tube 60.

When the valve 14 is opened and gasoline flows past the venturi throat50 a vacuum will be created in the said suction passageway and so longas the opening 62 is open to atmosphere, air will merely be drawn intothe stream of gasoline. However, when the level of gasoline in anautomobile fill pipe reaches the level of the opening 62 the suctionpassageway will be sealed off from atmosphere and a vacuum created inthis suction passageway as well as in the chamber 49. At this point itwill be noted that openings 64 are provided in the body portion 10 sothat the undersurface of the diaphragm 54 is subjected to pressure ofthe fluid flowing through the nozzle. Then when a vacuum is created inthe chamber 49, the pressure of the gasoline on the lower surface of thediaphragm 54 will overcome the force of spring 48 due to the reducedpressure on the upper surface of the diaphragm. The latch 38 will thusbe raised out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 36. When the latch isso raised the spring urged valve 14 will automatically close, moving therocker 22 in a counterclockwise position and displacing pin 28 outwardlyof the body portion 10 in readiness for a subsequent dispensingoperation of the nozzle. It will, of course, be appreciated that at thistime hand lever 38 has been released.

The operation of the present nozzle is itself extremely simple. It ismerely necessary for the filling station attendant to insert the nozzlein the fill tank of the automobile, raise and then release the lever 30.Gasoline is automatically delivered as latch 38 cooperating with theteeth 36 maintains valve 14 open (FIG. 2). When the tank is full asevidenced by gasoline covering the opening 62 and thus sealing off thesuction passage and chamber 49 from atmosphere, the above describedaction of the diaphragm under a vacuum condition in the chamberautomatically releases latch 38'. Valve 14 will close and shut offfurther flow of gasoline before spilling over the edge of a fill pipe.

For obvious reasons an operator may desire to stop flow of gasoline atany time. In order to maintain control of dispensing the automaticdelivery of the present nozzle is under the manual control of anoperator. A headed plunger 66 is slidably mounted in body portion 10above the other free end of latch member 38. A simple depression ofplunger 66 (as in FIG. 3) will raise latch 38 out of engagement withrocker teeth 36. Thus the operator may control delivery of any specifiedamount of gasoline.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate an alternate embodiment of the inventioncomprising other novel features. This alternate arrangement includesmany elements which are equivalent if not identical with elementspreviously described and such elements shall be identified by likereference characters without any detailed description necessarily beinggiven thereof, where substantial changes have been made in a givenequivalent element, primed reference characters are used.

As will be seen the body 10' is, for manufacturing convenience, of atwo-part construction and considerably shorter in length by reason themore compact means for locking the rocker 22 in a position to maintainthe valve 14 in an open position. These locking means include a plungerslidably mounted in the body portion 10' and threaded onto an upperextension 102 which extends through the chamber 49 and beyond the outersurface of cap 51'.

Spring 48 bears against a washer 104 which in turn clamps the centralportion of diaphragm 54 against a second washer 106 by reason of theforce applied in threading the plunger 100 onto the extension 102. Itwill be seen that the plunger 100 is thus yieldingly maintained inengagement with the upper surface of rocker 22, with the conical reliefin the outer end of the plunger 100 providing clearance for the ratchetteeth 36.

With this arrangement the nozzle is actuated in the same fashion aspreviously described. That is, the lever 30 may be raised to cause therocker 22 to pivot about pin 24 and open valve 14. The rocker 22 will beautomatically latched by plunger 100 to hold the valve open, permittingthe operating lever 30 to be released as before.

A suction passageway is again provided between the venturi 50 at valve14 and the discharge end of the spout 18. The only substantial change inthis passageway being the interconnection between the upper end of tube60 and chamber 49. As shown in FIG. 7 the spout 18 is brazed to a flange108 secured to the front end of the nozzle body 10'. The tube 60communicates, with a passageway 110 in the flange 108 which in turn isconnected to passageways 112, 114 through the diaphgram 54 into theupper portion of chamber 49.

The plunger 100, as was also true regarding latch 38 (FIGS. 1-3), willbe maintained in engagement with the ratchet teeth 36 so long as thelower end of tube 60' is vented to atmosphere. When the lower end oftube 60' is sealed off as by gasoline rising in the fill pipe of anautomobile, a vacuum will be created in the chamber 49 and the pressureof the gasoline (by way of hole 64) on the lower side of diaphragm 54 isthen suflicient to raise plunger 100 out of engagement with teeth 36thus permitting the valve 14 to automatically close.

A further feature of the invention is found in a second means fordisengaging the plunger 100 from the teeth 36. A dome or cap 116 having21 depending skirt 117 is rockingly mounted on a reduced outer diameterof the plunger extension 102 by way of a rubber combination bushing andseal 118. The dome 116 is held onto the plunger extension by a stop 120pinned to said reduced diameter and provided with a spherical endengaging the dome 116 or combination bushing and seal 118. The domeitself rests on a raised surface or land 122 formed on the cap 51 andoverhangs for considerable distance therebeyond throughout itsperipheral extent. Since the dome 116 and skirt 117 are non-circular inoutline, ribs 123 are provided on the undersurface of the dome andreceived by grooves 125 formed in the raised surface 122 (see also FIG.9).

It will be apparent that the dome 116 may be manually rocked by pressingon any outer portion thereof preferably at some marginal edge portion..In so rocking the dome 116, the plunger 100 will be raised as the domepivots about an edge of the raised surface 122. The plunger 100 will bebrought out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 36 permitting the valve14 to close when desired.

The dome 116 serves another function in providing safety means forautomatically shutting off the valve 14 in the event that the nozzleshould fall to the ground when the valve 14 is automatically held openby the plunger 100 engaging the ratchet teeth 36 of rocker 22. The dome116 is disposed (see also FIGS. 8 and 9) so that in any normal positionwhich the nozzle might assume on a substantially flat surface, theweight of the nozzle will be sufi'icient either alone or combined withan impact effect to rock the dome 116 as it engages the surface, therocking movement of the dome again causing the valve 14 to closeautomatically and prevent spillage of gasoline.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as novel and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A liquid dispensing nozzle comprising a body portion having apassageway therethrough, a nozzle spout communicating with said bodypassageway and providing a discharge outlet for the liquid, a valveseated in said body passageway with spring means normally maintainingthe valve in a closed position, a rocker pivotally mounted within saidbody and movable to open said valve, a rod slidably mounted in said bodyand engageable with said rocker to so move said valve, a hand leverpivotally mounted on said body engaging said rod and movable to effectopening of said valve, said rocker having a plurality of ratchet teethformed on its upper surface, a pivotally mounted latch having one enddisposed above said rocker, spring means urging said latch end intoengagement with said teeth and comprising a coil spring disposed in achamber above said latch, whereby the valve will be maintained in anopen position by engagement of the latch with one of said teeth when thevalve has been opened by movement of said hand lever, said latch havinga second free end on the opposite side of its pivotal mounting, a pushbutton plunger mounted in said body above said second free end andaccessible for manual depression to raise the latch from said rocker andpermit the valve to be closed whenever desired, a diaphragm sealing ohthe lower end of said spring containing chamber with said spring bearingagainst the upper surface of the diaphragm and with the lower surface ofsaid diaphragm exposed to the pressure of the liquid in said bodypassageway, said body passageway having a venturi throat, a suctionpassageway extending from said venturi throat and communicating withsaid chamber and opening on the exterior of the nozzle spout at a pointadjacent the lower end of said spout whereby when said suctionpassageway is closed off the suction created in said chamber by liquidflow past said venturi throat will reduce the pressure on the uppersurface of said diaphragm and the liquid pressure on the lower surfaceof said diaphragm will overcome the force of said spring to raise thelatch away from said rocker, thus permitting said valve to automaticallyseat and shut off further flow of liquid.

2. A liquid dispensing nozzle comprising a body portion having apassageway therethrough, a nozzle spout communicating with said bodypassageway and providing a discharge outlet for the liquid, a valveseated in said body passageway with spring means normally maintainingthe valve in a closed position, a rocker pivotally mounted within saidbody and movable to open said valve, 2. rod slidably mounted in saidbody and engageable with said rocker to so move said valve, a hand leverpivotally mounted on said body engaging said rod and movable to efiectopening of said valve, said rocker having at least one ratchet toothformed on its upper surface, a pivotally mounted latch having one enddisposed above said rocker, spring means urging said latch end intoengagement with the toothed upper surface of said rocker and comprisinga coil spring disposed in a chamber above said latch, whereby the valvewill be maintained in an open position by engagement of the latch withsaid tooth once the valve has been opened by movement of said handlever, a diaphragm sealing oif the lower end of said chamber with saidspring bearing against the upper surface of the diaphragm and with thelower surface of said diaphragm being exposed to the pressure of theliquid in said body passageway and the upper surface of the diaphragmbeing under urging of said spring, said body passageway having a venturithroat, a suction passageway extending from said venturi throat andcommunicating with said chamber and opening on the exterior of thenozzle spout at a point adjacent the lower end of said spout wherebywhen said suction passageway is closed off the suction created in saidchamber by liquid flow past said venturi throat will reduce the pressureon the upper surface of said diaphragm and the liqiud pressure on thelower surface of said diaphragm will overcome the force of said springand raise the latch away from said rocker, thus permitting said valve toseat and shut ofi further flow of liquid.

3. A liquid dispensing nozzle comprising a normally closed valve forcontrolling liquid flow, a body housing said valve, a rocker pivotallymounted within and on said body and engageable with the valve to opensaid valve, manually operated means engageable with said rocker to causesaid rocker to open said valve, said rocker having teeth formedoutwardly of said pivotal mounting, a plunger slidably mounted in saidbody and yieldingly urged into engagement with said teeth whereby therocker will be automatically maintained in a position holding said valveopen, said plunger extending upwardly through the top of the nozzlebody, a lever mounted on the outer end of said plunger for rockingmovement relative thereto, said lever resting on and overhanging asurface on the top of said body nozzle and means on the outermost end ofsaid plunger preventing unlimited movement of the lever relative to theplunger whereby an outer portion of the lever may be moved towards oraway from the nozzle body to raise the plunger out of engagement withsaid rocker teeth and thereby permit said valve to close.

4. A liquid dispensing nozzle comprising a normally closed valve forcontrolling liquid flow, a body housing said valve, a rocker pivotallymounted within and on said body and engageable with the valve to opensaid valve, manually operated means engageable with said rocker to causesaid rocker to open said valve, said rocker having teeth formedoutwardly of said pivotal mounting,

a plunger slidably mounted on said body and yieldingly urged intoengagement with said teeth whereby the rocker will be automaticallymaintained in a position holding said valve open, said plunger extendingupwardly to the top of the nozzle, a dome-shaped cap mounted on theouter end of said plunger for rock-ing movement relative thereto, saidcap bearing against a surface on the top of said nozzle and extendingsubstantially therebeyond throughout its peripheral extent and a stopaifixed to the outermost end of said plunger and yieldably maintainingby way of said yieldably urged plunger the cap against said surfacewhereby pressure at any marginal edge portion of the cap in a directiontowards or away from said body will rock said cap and cause said plungerto be lifted out of engagement with said rocker teeth thereby permittingsaid valve to close.

5. A liquid dispensing nozzle as in claim 4 wherein the plunger isformed with a reduced diameter passing through the cap and a rubberbushing is provided between said reduced diameter and said cap, andfurther wherein the stop is formed with a spherical end facing said cap.

6. A liquid dispensing nozzle comprising a normally closed valve forcontrolling liquid flow, a body housing said valve, a rocker pivotallymounted within and on said body and movable against the valve to opensaid valve, manually operated means engageable with said rocker to movesaid rocker to open said valve, means for automatically locking saidrocker in a position maintaining said valve open, whereby said manuallyoperating means may be released and means mounted on top of said nozzleand connected to said locking means, the means mounted on said nozzlebeing disposed to release said locking means in response to a torqueexerted by the weight of the nozzle in seeking a position of stableequilibrium on a substantially flat surface.

7. A liquid dispensing nozzle comprising a normally closed valve forcontrolling liquid flow, a body housing said valve, a rocker pivotallymounted within and on said body and movable against said valve to opensaid valve, and manually operable means engageable with said rocker andmovable to cause said rocker to open said valve, means for locking saidrocker in a position to hold said valve open whereby the manuallyoperable means may be released, a spring urging said locking means intoengagement with said rocker, and means engaged with said locking meansand responsive to difierential fluid pressure caused by the dischargeend of the nozzle becoming immersed in liquid for directly moving saidlocking means against said spring out of locking engagement with saidrocker whereby said valve will be closed shutting oil the flow of liquidthrough said nozzle. 10

8. A nozzle as in claim 7 wherein the rocker includes a .t p 8 aplurality of teeth, any one of which is engageable by said locking-meansfor holding saidvalve in any one of a plurality of open positions whichdetermine the rate of flow through said nozzle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,354,209 Hammand July 25, 1944 2,787,294 Carriol Apr. 2, 1957 2,811,180Zaugg et a1 Oct. 29, 1957

